New Delhi: Responding to Elections Commission`s notice to Bharatiya Janata Party`s prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi`s close aide Amit Shah with regards to the notice issued to him in connection with the alleged hate speech made by him in the riot-hit Muzaffarnagar recently, the BJP said that the evidence presented before it contained serious discrepancies between the audio and the visual content and that the CD seemed doctored.
Defending the party`s Uttar Pradesh in-charge, BJP`s election cell in-charge R Ramakrishna wrote to the Election commission, saying, “The transcript contains certain unwarranted insertions, apparently introduced by the field administration in UP. The unwarranted insertion of the words ‘ka badla’ is apparently motivated by the inordinate desire of the field administration in UP working under the Samajwadi Party government to put non-existent words such as badla (revenge) in the mouth of Shri Amit Shah and castigate him.”

“Besides serious evidence of doctoring, the transcript shows that the administration is deliberately keeping back the full text of the speeches, such that the Hon’ble Commission and the court may not keep the whole context in view. Any extract of a speech, as contrasted with a full text, can be tailored to give a flawed reading rather than an objective reading. We would as such request the commission to furnish a full unabridged text of the speeches,” the BJP letter said.

The BJP also requested that the EC “reconsider” its notice to Shah, or issue a fresh notice in the regards after considering that the CDs of his speeches were allegedly doctored.

Earlier, the Election Commission had issued notice to Shah for violating the model code of conduct through his speeches made while campaigning in UP.

The commission asked him to explain as to why action should not be initiated against him for violating the model code while campaigning in Uttar Pradesh`s Shamli, Bijnor and Muzaffarnagar districts.

Shah has been accused of speaking of "revenge" for the Muzaffarnagar communal riots during his meeting with Jat leaders in Bijnor in western Uttar Pradesh last week.

"The commission is, prima facie, of the opinion that by making the aforesaid statement you have violated the provisions of model code of conduct.

"Now, therefore, the commission gives you an opportunity to explain your stand in making the statement before 5 p.m. on April 9 failing which it will take a decision without further reference to you," said the notice issued by the commission.